Fundraising Advisory

Raise your next round
with a real insider

Strategic fundraising guidance for early-stage founders.

Background
Menlo Ventures, BCG
Education
Stanford MBA
Recognition
Forbes, Business Insider
Focus
Pre-Seed → Series A
About Michelle
Michelle Aguinis

I've spent years on the other side of the table, evaluating hundreds of raises and seeing exactly what separates the companies that close from the ones that don't.

The best fundraises tell the right story, to the right investors, at the right time. I help you get it right.

I take on a small number of founders each quarter and go deep: deck, narrative, modeling, warm intros, and close.

8+ yrs
VC + strategy experience
1,000+
companies evaluated
$50M+
capital deployed
LinkedIn profile →
What I do

Everything it takes to close an up round.

01
Storytelling
Your deck and story built from an investor's perspective. I know what makes a VC stop skimming and start leaning in.
02
Investor targeting
A curated hit list built for your stage, sector, and round size, plus warm introductions where they matter most.
03
Financial modeling
Unit economics, projections, and the financial story that supports your valuation without overreaching.
04
Diligence readiness
The data room, the hard questions, and the answers that build conviction before a VC asks for them.
05
Term sheet strategy
Understanding what you're signing, what to push on, and how to run a process that creates real leverage.
06
Ongoing advisory
Monthly support between rounds: board prep, metrics framing, and staying credible with your existing investors.
How it works

A process built to close

01
Prep
A full read on where you stand: metrics, narrative gaps, competitive framing, and round readiness.
02
Build
Deck, model, data room, and investor targeting list. Everything buttoned up before the first outreach.
03
Pitch
Warm intros, meeting prep, partner meeting coaching, and deal momentum across the funnel.
04
Close
Term sheet negotiation, investor selection, and clean handoff to legal. Then we celebrate.

Ready to raise?

If you're approaching your next round and want a real insider in your corner, let's talk.

Typical response within 48 hours.